Carter's shilling his 'moral authority' again

It's Christmastime and so another Jimmy Carter campaign to sell a book. This must be his 19th. In the fancy Westwood district of los Angeles last week, the lines snaked around the block at Borders, with each liberal awaiting the signature of our country's worst—ever president.

But besides the book tour, Carter's also got a public relations campaign, and Reuters, naturally, is happy to spread the clichés. This Reuters title probably tells you all you need to know: "Mellow Jimmy Carter Finds Joy In Sharing." But to peruse the moldy Reuters template, we learn that Carter's been through it all, the rough and tumble of politics and world events and now will have us think he's become like fine wine, a "respected statesman" as they put it, content to just sit back and reflect on his wisdom and experiences.

'I really have learned, with some degree of difficulty over the years, to reach out to others," Carter, 80, told Reuters in an interview.

"Slowly but surely as I go through life, I have been more willing to assess my own feelings internally and confront some of the changes that have taken place during my years. Once I confront them personally I am willing to share them with others," he said.

The trouble is that we've heard this before, and for at least 20 years. It's not just the echo of the anodyne "personal confession" we first got from him when described the "lust in his heart." Carter would now have us believe that at age 80, he's finally figured out how to give ear time. Which is pretty ridiculous. Carter hasn't listened to anyone for as long as he's lived. What's telling is the book's dog—eared selling point: his ever—newfound 'wisdom.' But Carter was just as sure he had that back when he was booted from office a quarter century ago and went out blaming the voters who couldn't appreciate him and his "wisdom" somehow.

But never mind, Carter's got a book to hawk and a legacy to burnish so the prevailing theme is selling tripe like this.

But his second career as a diplomatic trouble—shooter and mediator through his nonpartisan Carter Center have made him one of America's most esteemed ex—presidents.

Reuters touts Carter's "experiences," as in mellow golden oldie memories of the 1970s. But if Reuters looked, they could probably find some more recent ones.

Maybe Carter would care to talk about what he did to Venezuela last August, enshrining a dictator? Or describe his mellow memories of angry Venezuelans running him out of restaurants, beating on pots and pans to protest his endorsement of electoral fraud?

Carter's been doing this schtick for years He's been mellowing and mellowing for most of his life now. But he hasn't changed a bit. The Reuters dreck gets worst at the end, with Carter extolling in his own words his "moral authority":

"I don't have any political status. But I do have moral authority. I don't really need authority or political power and I don't suffer because of the absence of it," he said.

Same old Carter. He's no finely aged bottle of wine, but more like a mummified insect, always the calcified same after all these years, even as age weathers him. He's been selling the same old book for thirty years now. And he hasn't changed a bit.

It's Christmastime and so another Jimmy Carter campaign to sell a book. This must be his 19th. In the fancy Westwood district of los Angeles last week, the lines snaked around the block at Borders, with each liberal awaiting the signature of our country's worst—ever president.

But besides the book tour, Carter's also got a public relations campaign, and Reuters, naturally, is happy to spread the clichés. This Reuters title probably tells you all you need to know: "Mellow Jimmy Carter Finds Joy In Sharing." But to peruse the moldy Reuters template, we learn that Carter's been through it all, the rough and tumble of politics and world events and now will have us think he's become like fine wine, a "respected statesman" as they put it, content to just sit back and reflect on his wisdom and experiences.

'I really have learned, with some degree of difficulty over the years, to reach out to others," Carter, 80, told Reuters in an interview.

"Slowly but surely as I go through life, I have been more willing to assess my own feelings internally and confront some of the changes that have taken place during my years. Once I confront them personally I am willing to share them with others," he said.

The trouble is that we've heard this before, and for at least 20 years. It's not just the echo of the anodyne "personal confession" we first got from him when described the "lust in his heart." Carter would now have us believe that at age 80, he's finally figured out how to give ear time. Which is pretty ridiculous. Carter hasn't listened to anyone for as long as he's lived. What's telling is the book's dog—eared selling point: his ever—newfound 'wisdom.' But Carter was just as sure he had that back when he was booted from office a quarter century ago and went out blaming the voters who couldn't appreciate him and his "wisdom" somehow.

But never mind, Carter's got a book to hawk and a legacy to burnish so the prevailing theme is selling tripe like this.

But his second career as a diplomatic trouble—shooter and mediator through his nonpartisan Carter Center have made him one of America's most esteemed ex—presidents.

Reuters touts Carter's "experiences," as in mellow golden oldie memories of the 1970s. But if Reuters looked, they could probably find some more recent ones.

Maybe Carter would care to talk about what he did to Venezuela last August, enshrining a dictator? Or describe his mellow memories of angry Venezuelans running him out of restaurants, beating on pots and pans to protest his endorsement of electoral fraud?

Carter's been doing this schtick for years He's been mellowing and mellowing for most of his life now. But he hasn't changed a bit. The Reuters dreck gets worst at the end, with Carter extolling in his own words his "moral authority":

"I don't have any political status. But I do have moral authority. I don't really need authority or political power and I don't suffer because of the absence of it," he said.

Same old Carter. He's no finely aged bottle of wine, but more like a mummified insect, always the calcified same after all these years, even as age weathers him. He's been selling the same old book for thirty years now. And he hasn't changed a bit.